RATIONALE: Studying samples of blood and tissue from smokers (closed to entry as of 7/15/07) and non-smokers with cancer in the laboratory may help doctors learn more about changes that occur in DNA and identify biomarkers related to cancer. It may also help doctors learn more about risk factors for lung cancer and may help the study of cancer in the future.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 900 patients will be accrued for this study (female and male smoker strata closed to accrual as of 7/15/07).

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

18 Years and older

Genders Eligible for Study:

Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Sampling Method:

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Cancer center

Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer

Stage I, II, IIIA, or IIIB (T4 or N3) disease

No malignant pleural effusion; if pleural fluid is present, 1 of the following criteria must be met:

Benign pleural fluid

Pleural fluid is due to prior thoracotomy

Pleural fluid is deemed too small to safely tap

No diagnosis by cytology alone

Newly diagnosed disease

Must have tumor blocks/slides available and must be willing to provide tissue samples

Prior smoking history meeting 1 of the following criteria:

Never smoker, defined as < 100 cigarettes in lifetime

Former smoker, defined as no smoking for ≥ 1 year

Current smoker, defined as all others (closed to accrual as of 7/15/07)

No pericardial effusions

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

No other prior malignancy except for 1 of the following:

Adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer

In situ cervical cancer

Other cancer for which the patient has been disease free for five years

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

No prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy

Concurrent participation in therapeutic trials allowed

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00450281